Dolores Claiborne (1995)

Dolores is practical and strong. A World War wouldn't prevent her doing her laundry. She finds herself at loggerheads with an old adversary after a tragic event puts her in the right place at the wrong time. Her past and present collide, affecting everyone around her in a small coastal town.
Kathy Bates is masterful at communicating the unsaid. She gives an even better, more nuanced performance here than she did in Misery (1990). I can’t think of anyone more suited to the role.
The film is lit in such a way that the coldness of the environment seems to permeate the film negative for the longest time, until it’s necessary for it to be removed. When the chill lifts there’s some unforgettable imagery that plays up to the era in which it’s set. It's magnificent.

4½ confessions out of 5

Wilde (1997)

The 19th Century's quintessential bender, Oscar Wilde, deserved no one less than the 20th Century's most fabulously intelligent bender to play him onscreen. It's a good thing Stephen Fry can act, because it's the role he was born to play. Wilde enjoyed showing the world how abhorrent their ignorance was, and he was proved right by their reaction to his 'private' life. The film documents that side of him, including his fame and his fall, and doesn't shy away from the naked truth.
If you're not familiar with Oscar's work, then you may want to proceed with caution because there are some spoilers - it gives away the ending of both The Picture of Dorian Grey and The Importance of Being Earnest.

3½ frivolously serious wild flowers out of 5